Mobile material handling machine



Jan 7, 1958 1.. FRENE 8,

MOBILE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1955 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jam. 7, 1958 L. FRENI 2981 3 MOBILE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed. Sept. 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 u I v.

ZNVENTZ? M BY ATTOR L. FRENI MOBILE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Jam 7, 1958 5 Sheds-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 1, 1955 V NTOR Way Jan. 7, 1958 L. Fl RENl 2,318,983

MOBILE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 6 X07 W3 m6 .l I 79 77 m g I Jan. 7, 1958 L. FRENl 2,818,983

. MOBILE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVENTSE r M W BY I M A TTORNEY I United States Patent O MOBILE MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Letterio Freni, Montevecchio, Cagliari, Italy, assignor to Atlas Copco Aktiebolag, Nacka, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application September 1, 1955, Serial No. 531,930

Claims. (Cl. 214-78) This invention relates to improvements in material handling machines for moving loose rock or ore or similar material, particularly in mines underground. One object of the invention is to provide a novel machine which is of simple and rugged construction adapted for use under the severe conditions usually encountered in mining. One form of the machine according to the invention comprises a mobile frame, a material container carried by and movable along said frame, a material discharge opening at one end of said container, means on said frame for guiding the container in said movement along the frame from a. substantially horizontal loading position to a discharge position on the frame in which said discharge opening of the container is lowered substantially by gravity, and power means on the frame for moving the container along the frame from said loading position to said discharge position and vice versa. Another form of the machine according to the invention comprises a mobile frame, a scoop, a supporting arm structure carrying said scoop and pivotally mounted at one end of said frame for swinging on a horizontal axis from a low digging position through substantially 180 to a raised position of the scoop, a power operated reel in said frame, a flexible member connecting said reel and said arm structure and capable of being wound on or off said reel, respectively, a guide structure for said flexible member provided on said arm structure and projecting from the arm structure on the side of the arm structure facing the frame when the "scoop and arm structure is in raised position, a material container carried by the frame in a position for receiving material from the scoop in the discharge position of the scoop and having a discharge opening, and means for discharging the contents of said container through said opening.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following specification and the accompanying drawings it being understood, however, that the inven tion is not limited to the illustrated embodiments but may be modified in several different ways within the scope of the claims.

'In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan View of a self-propelled mine dumper according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view and partial section of the mine dumper according to Fig. 1 and a portion of a loading machine used for loading said mine dumper. Fig. 2a is a diagrammatic view of the steering gear of the mine dumper of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side View of said mine dumper in dumping position. Fig. '4 is a plan view of a self-loading mine dumper according to the invention with a container for the material removed. Fig 5 :is a side view of the self-loading dumper according to Fig. 4 with the loading device indigging position. Fig. 5a is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the control valve for the propelling motors. Fig. 6 is aside View of the damper according :to .Fig. 4 with the container in dumping position.

The material handling machine according to Figs. 1-3 is aa mine dumper which comprises a frame 1 movable on the ground on two pairs of wheels 2 and 3 which are machine 11 of conventional design a portion of which is illustrated in Fig. 2. The coupling 10 may of course also be used when it is desired to connect the mine d-umper to a tractor or other vehicle for moving the dumper over long distances that it cannot be moved by its own power. On one side of the frame 1 between the wheels 2 and 3 a platform 12 for an operator is provided and disposed on this platform is a steering gear comprising a steering wheel 13 connected by a shaft 14 through a transmission 1'5 and linkage 16, 17, 18 to the cross members 6, 7 for steering the front and rear wheels 2 and 3, respectively, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2a.

The fame 1 has two side members which form guiding means or rails for a container 19 for the material to be handled by the machine. The side members or rails are provided with a horizontal portion 29 merging into a downwardly and rearwardly sloping portion 21, which ends with an upward bend 22. The container 19 is provided at the bottom with two pairs of brackets 23 and 24 in which are mounted wheels 25 and 26 adapted to run on the guide rails 2li-22 formed by the side members of the frame 1. The container 19 is furthermore provided on the underside with a lug 27 in which one end of a piston rod 28 is pivotally mounted. At the other end the piston rod 28 carries a piston 29 which is movable in a fluid cylinder 30, preferably pivotally secured to the frame 1 at 31. The spaces 32 and 33, respectively, on both sides of the piston 29 communicate through hoses 34 and 35 with a control valve housing 36 provided with a valve member 37 adjustable by means of a handle 38. The valve member 357 is so designed that it can admit pressure fluid, such as compressed air, supplied to the valve device 36 through a hose 40 from a suitable source and admit said pressure fluid selectively to one of the chambers 32, 33 while the other chamber is vented in order to move the piston 29 forwardly or rearwardly in the cylinder 3th. The valve device 36 may be of conventional design and is therefore not illustrated in detail.

The machine according to Figs. l-3 is provided with a pressure fluid driven traction motor 41 supplied with pressure fluid, such as compressed air, through a supply pipe 42 connected to a hose A3, and the motor at arranged to drive the front wheels 2 over a gear transmission 44. A lever 45 provided on a valve housing 56 is provided for controlling the operation of the motor tii which may preferably be a reversible compressed air driven motor.

The container 1% has an opening 47 in the rear end which in loading position of the container, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is covered "by a movable end wall 48. Said end wall 'is rigidly connected to arms 49 extending forwards at the sides of the container 19 and pivotally mounted on the container at fit? so that the end wall 48 may be swung on a horizontal axis through the pivots 50. One arm if is at its front end connected by a link 51 to the frame 1.

In operation the mine dumper according to Figs. l--3 is loaded with material, such as rock or ore, coal or similar material, which is discharged in the container 19 by a shovel loader, such as 11 in Fig. 2, or inany other way while the container .is in horizontal position, as illustrated inFig. 2. When the container has been filled with .material it is disconnected from the loader and propelled by means of the propelling motor 41 to the place where it is desired to discharge the material in the container. In discharging the container the lever 38 is moved to the position which admits compressed air to the front end chamber 32 of the cylinder 30. The piston 29 and piston rod 28 then move the container 19 on the guide rails 20, 21 to the position illustrated Fig. 3 in which the rear open end of the container is dumped with the rear wheels 26 resting in the bent portions 22 of the guide rails. During the movement to this position the end wall 48 is swung out to uncover the opening 47 so that the material in the container 19 is discharged through said opening. Thereafter the handle 30 is moved to the position in which the cylinder chamber 32 is vented and compressed air is admitted to the cylinder chamber 33 thereby moving the piston 29 forward in the cylinder and pulling the container 19 back to the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 2. The wall 48 returns to closed position during said movement. The machine is then returned by means of its propelling engine 41 to the loader or the like for receiving a new load.

It is obvious that it is immaterial for the invention which type of motor 41 is used as long as the motor provides propulsion ahead and reverse of the mine dumper. Instead of an air motor the motor may therefore naturally be an internal combustion motor or an electric motor provided provided with a suitable reversing gear without departing from the scope of the invention.

Figs. 4-6 of the drawings illustrate a self-loading material handling machine according to the invention. This machine is a self-loading mine dumper which comprises a. frame generally designated by 60 carried by two pairs of wheels 61 and 62. In similar manner as in Figs. l-3 the frame has two longitudinal side members which form guide rails for a container and are provided with a horizontal portion 63 merging into a downwardly sloping portion 64 which ends with a bent up portion 65. The contoiner 66 is of similar construction as the container 19 is Figs. 1-3 and is provided with an opening 67 at the rear end covered by a movable wall 68 which is rigidly connected to lever arms 69 pivotally mounted on bolts 70 on the side walls of the container 66. The forward end of one of the arms 69 is connected to the frame 60 by means of a link 71 which causes the wall 68 to uncover the opening 67 when the container moves towards dumping position, as is obvious from Fig. 6. The underside of the container is provided with brackets 72, 73 in which are mounted guide wheels 74, 75 adapted to move on the guide rails 63, 64 of the frame 60.

The mine dumper of Figs. 4-6 is provided with two propelling motors 76, 77 one for each of the front wheels 61, said motors being adapted to drive said front wheels through gear transmissions 78, 79. Consequently the wheels 61 are driven separately and the motors, which in the illustrated embodiments are reversible compressed air driven motors, are supplied with compressed air through hoses 81, 82 and 83, 84 respectively, leading from a valve control mechanism 85 to which compressed air is supplied from the main supply hose 86 through a pipe 87. The distribution of compressed air to the motors 76, 77 is controlled by a lever 88 and the valve device 85 is so constructed that both motors can be snpplied with compressed air simultaneously or separately and furthermore so that the motors may be reversed. The mine dumper according to Figs. 4-6 is steerable by a steering gear comprising a steering wheel 120 controlling a transmission 121, a drag link 122, a steering arm 123 and a rod 124 operating in the same way as conventional automobile steering mechanisms.

Between the longitudinal members of the frame 60 a compressed air cylinder 89 having a piston 90 and a piston rod 91 connected to a bracket 92 on the container 66 is arranged in the same way as in the embodiment of Figs. l-3. A control lever 93 and valve 94 control the supply of compressed air through hoses 95, 96 to the cylinder chambers on both sides of the piston for moving the piston rod 91 in order to move the container 66 from loading position to dumping position and vice versa.

At the front end of the frame 60 an arm structure comprising two substantially straight arms 100 is mounted to swing on a horizontal axis on pivots 101 journalled on brackets 102 at the front end of the frame 60. The arms 100 are swingable on the pivots 101 through substantially 180 and said arms are provided on the side of the arms facing the dumper in swung up position, as illustrated in Fig. 6, with guide structures 103 of arcuate shape and wtih a scoop 104. Chains 105 are connected to the arm structure and carried over the guide structures for moving the scoop 104. The guide structure 103 is substantially semi-circular or semioval with its centre 101 at a distance from the centre of the pivot 101 so that the torque arm of the chains 105 is longer in digging position than in discharge position of the scoop. The link chains 105 are connected to the arm structures 103 at a point of the structures near the scoop 104, as indicated at 106, and in dumped position of the scoop the chains 105 are carried over the structures 103 on the arcuate surface to reels 107 mounted in the frame 60 and driven by a suitable reversible compressed air motor 108 over a transmission 109. The air motor 108 is controlled by a lever 110 controlling a valve device 111 through which compressed air is conducted from the supply line 86 through a pipe 112 and a further pipe 113 to the motor. It is obvious that by placing the centre of the arcuate struc ture 103 more or less above the axis of the pivot 101, as indicated at 101a, a suitable torque arm is obtained providing a suitable digging force in the digging position of the scoop illustrated in Fig. 5 and a suitable force for swinging the arm structure to scoop discharge position. The oval shape of the arcuate structure 103 makes it possible for the most desirable forces to be obtained in every position of the scoop for digging and for discharging the scoop contents into the container 66. The arcuate structure 103 may be replaced by a simple arm or other projection from the same side of the arm structure as the scoop. Single chains 105 and arc structures 103 may be employed in small mine dumpers.

In operation the mine dumper is driven by the motors 76, 77 and with the scoop 104 in the position of Fig. 5 towards a pile of material while the scoop is operated to make small movements so that it is well filled Withmaterial. When this is done the motor 108 is operated to swing the scoop 104 through substantially 180 into the position of Fig. 6 while the container is still maintained in the position of Fig. 5 by a suitable latch 125. The contents of the scoop is then discharged into the container and the operation repeated until the container is full. Dumper springs 114 are provided for taking up the shock when the scoop is swung upwardly and for giving the scoop initial movement to swing back down towards digging position. An auxiliary air cylinder 115 is provided for the same purpose which may be supplied with compressed air when the operating lever 110 is moved to position for reversing the scoop to digging position.

When the container 66 is full the mine dumper as a whole is moved with the traction motors 76, 77 to the dumping place and compressed air is then supplied to the forward end of the cylinder 89 so that the piston 90 is moved rearwardly and pushes the full container 66 down the sloping guide rails 64 until the wheels 75 rest in the bends 65 and the lid 68 is opened to permit discharge of the material through the opening 67. The forward end of the cylinder 89 is then vented and compressed air is supplied to the rear end of the cylinder 89 causing the piston 90 to move forwardly in the cylinder and the container 66 to be pulled up to the position on the guide rail portion 63, illustrated in Fig. 5. It should be noted that the cylinder 89, as well as the cylinder 30 garages of the embodiment of Figs. 1-3, in moving the container 66 and 19, respectively, never have to lift a loaded container but only have to move it to the position into which it is easily moved due to gravity and to give it a little kick so that the contents is easily discharged. When the container is empty the power of the cylinder is sufficient for pulling the container back to horizontal position, the dimensions of the cylinder at the same time being held within reasonable values.

What I claim is:

1. A material handling machine comprising a selfpropelled mobile frame, a material container carried by and slidable along said frame from a forward loading position to a rearward discharge position, a material discharge opening at the rear end of said container, a wall covering said discharge opening, means for moving said wall to uncover the opening upon movement of the container into discharge position, guide rails extending longitudinally of said frame and having a substantially horizontal forward portion on which said container is supported in loading position and a downwardly sloping rear portion on which the rear end of the container is moved and supported for discharging material through said discharge opening, and power means on the frame for moving the container along the frame on said guide rails from said loading position to discharge position and vice versa.

2. A material handling machine according to claim 1, in which each guide rail comprises a horizontal portion merging into a downwardly sloping portion at the lower end of which an upward bend is provided for retaining the container in dumped position.

3. A material handling machine comprising a mobile frame, a scoop, a supporting arm structure carrying said scoop and pivotally mounted at one end of said frame for swinging on a horizontal axis from a low digging position through substantially 180 to a raised discharge position of th scoop, a power operated reel in said frame, a flexible member connecting said reel and said arm structure and capable of being wound on or off said reel, respectively, a guide structure for said flexible member provided on said arm structure and projecting from the arm structure on the side of the arm structure facing the frame when the scoop and arm structure is in raised position, a material container carried by the frame in a forward position for receiving material from the scoop in the discharge position of the scoop and movable along said frame from said forward position to a rearward discharge position and having a discharge opening at the rear end of said container, a. wall covering said discharge opening, means for moving the container from said forward position to said rearward position, and means for moving said wall to uncover the opening upon movement of said container into said rearward position.

4. A material handling machine comprising a mobile frame, a scoop, a material container carried by said frame and having a discharge opening, a supporting arm structure pivotally mounted at one end of the frame to swing in a vertical plane on a horizontal axis and carrying said scoop at one end of said arm structure, a flexible member secured to the arm structure close to said scoop, a guiding structure for said flexible member on the arm structure of arcuate substantially semicircular or semioval shape projecting from the arm structure on the side of the arm structure facing the frame when the scoop and arm structure is in raised position, a power operated reel to which said flexible member is connected, said flexible member serving to swing the scoop and arm structure on the axis from digging position Where the member engages the whole arcuate portion of the arm structure to the scoop discharge position where the scoop discharges in said container and the member engages the connecting point only between the scoop and the arm structure.

5. A material handling machine comprising a mobile frame, a material container carried by and slidable along said frame, a material discharge opening at the rear end of said container, guide rails extending longitudinally of said frame and having a substantially horizontal forward portion on which said container is supported in loading position and a downwardly sloping rear portion on which the rear end of the container is moved and supported for discharging material through said discharge opening, a power cylinder on the frame connected to the frame and the container for sliding the container along the frame from said loading portion to said discharge portion and vice versa, a scoop, a supporting arm structure carrying said scoop and pivotally mounted at one end of the frame for swinging on a horizontal axis from a low digging position through substantially to a raised discharge position of the scoop, a power operated reel in said frame, a flexible member connecting said reel and said arm structure and capable of being wound on or ofi said reel, respectively, a guide structure for said flexible member provided on said arm structure and projecting from the arm structure on the side of the arm structure facing the frame when the scoop and arm structure is in raised position, and a latch for holding the container in loading position on said horizontal guide rail portions when the scoop is moved to said raised position, in which the scoop contents is discharged in the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,772 Sheen Feb. 17, 1931 1,867,844 Jungersen July 19, 1932 2,189,052 Anthony Feb. 6, 1940 2,347,755 Beckwith Apr. 25, 1944 2,429,170 Royle Oct. 14, 1947 2,712,876 Kuehn July 12, 1955 

